Bruce Highway

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Template:Short description Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Australian road

File:A1 Bruce Highway.png
Approximate road distances (in kilometres) of towns from Brisbane along the highway

The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast on its way to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1, the longest highway route in Australia. Its length is approximately Template:Convert; it is entirely sealed with bitumen. The highway is named after a popular former Queensland and federal politician, Harry Bruce. Bruce was the state Minister for Works in the mid-1930s when the highway was named after him. The highway once passed through Brisbane, but was truncated at Bald Hills when the Gateway Motorway became National Highway 1 upon its opening in December 1986.Template:Citation needed

It was previously known as the Great North Coast Road, being renamed as the Bruce Highway in 1934 after the state's Minister for Public Works, Henry Bruce.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The highway is the biggest traffic carrier in Queensland. It initially joined all the major coastal centres; however, a number of bypasses, particularly in the south, have diverted traffic around these cities to expedite traffic flow and ease urban congestion. As a result, the highway is constantly being shortened. The road is a dual carriageway from Brisbane to Curra, north of Gympie, many of these upgrades being completed in the 1980s (Glass House Mountains, Tanawha, Maryborough) and 1990s (Nambour, Yandina, and Cooroy).Template:Citation needed

The highway commences just south of the bridge over the Pine River at the Gateway Motorway interchange, Template:Convert north of the Brisbane central business district. The highway has changed its route numbering from National Highway 1 to the M1 (motorway road) or A1 (single carriageway, generally with overtaking lanes).Template:Citation needed

File:Sugar cane train crossing Bruce Highway.jpg
Sugar cane train crossing, 2003

Major cities along the route include Gympie, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns. The highway passes the Glasshouse Mountains, rainforests and pastures in the Sunshine Coast, the Gunalda Range (north of Gympie), Mount Larcom (north of Gladstone), and the arid countryside north of Rockhampton; after that, it passes through land predominantly used for sugar cane, crop growing and dairy farms and the sub-tropics and tropics.Template:Citation needed

In November 2024, the Bruce Highway Advisory Council was re-established.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In January 2025, the Australian prime minister announced that the Bruce Highway would get AU$7.2 billion dollars funding from the Australian Government.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This funding is meant to upgrade failing sections of the highway between Mackay and Bowen, notably around the very flood prone section south of Proserpine known as Goorganga Plains. This section is earmarked for an elevated carriageway similar to what was built at the Yeppen Floodplain near Rockhampton. The Goorganga Plains section can be closed for days resulting in huge economic loss for the state of Queensland.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:TOC limit

State-controlled road

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Bruce Highway is a state-controlled road, subdivided into fourteen sections for administrative and funding purposes. All sections are part of the National Highway.<ref name=TMR>Template:Cite map</ref><ref name=ME>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=NC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=WB>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=FD>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=MW>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=ND>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=FN>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The sections are:

  • 10A – Brisbane to Gympie
  • 10B – Gympie to Maryborough
  • 10C – Maryborough to Gin Gin
  • 10D – Gin Gin to Benaraby
  • 10E – Benaraby to Rockhampton
  • 10F – Rockhampton to St Lawrence
  • 10G – St Lawrence to Mackay
  • 10H – Mackay to Proserpine
  • 10J – Proserpine to Bowen
  • 10K – Bowen to Ayr
  • 10L – Ayr to Townsville
  • 10M – Townsville to Ingham
  • 10N – Ingham to Innisfail
  • 10P – Innisfail to Cairns

State-controlled roads that intersect with the highway are listed in the main article.

Route description

Commencing in Bald Hills at the junction of the Gateway Motorway and Gympie Arterial Road, the Bruce Highway is a motorway standard road (signed as the M1) for its first Template:Convert to Curra, where it becomes a two-lane sealed highway for most of its remainder. The first Template:Convert to the Dohles Rocks Road interchange has eight lanes and a variable (electronically signed) speed limit of up to Template:Convert. The next Template:Convert to the Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange has six lanes and a maximum speed limit of Template:Convert. From there to Curra the road has four lanes and a speed limit of Template:Convert.

Brisbane to Rockhampton

Bald Hills to Caboolture

This section of the Bruce Highway crosses the Pine River into the City of Moreton Bay, passing through mainly urban areas before crossing the Caboolture River and reaching the Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange after Template:Convert. It runs past or through Murrumba Downs, Griffin, Kallangur, Mango Hill, North Lakes, Dakabin, Narangba, Burpengary and Morayfield. On the way it is crossed by the Redcliffe Peninsula railway line and passes the Caboolture BP Travel Centre.Template:Citation needed

Caboolture to Caloundra

The Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange also provides access to the D'Aguilar Highway via a service road. After the D'Aguilar Highway interchange the Bruce passes through mainly rural areas and the Beerburrum and Beerwah State Forests, entering the Sunshine Coast Region before reaching the Caloundra Road interchange after a further Template:Convert. It passes the southern entry to Steve Irwin Way, a bypassed section of the highway, which provides access to Beerburrum, Glass House Mountains, Beerwah, Australia Zoo and Landsborough before terminating at the Caloundra Road interchange.Template:Citation needed

The Caloundra Road Interchange is also Australia's first Diverging diamond interchange.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Caloundra to Noosa

File:Bruce Highway, Beerwah, Queensland, 2021.jpg
Bruce Highway at Beerwah, 2021

The next Template:Convert to the Sunshine Motorway interchange, providing access to the Sunshine Coast, widens to 3 lanes in either direction. It then narrows back to 2 lanes. After another Template:Convert the Maroochydore Road interchange provides access to Maroochydore and Woombye. The Bli Bli Road interchange, after a further Template:Convert, provides access to Bli Bli and Nambour. The Yandina–Coolum Road interchange, after Template:Convert, provides access to Yandina and Coolum. The Eumundi interchange, after Template:Convert, provides access to Eumundi and Noosa. The Cooroy interchange, after Template:Convert, provides access to Cooroy, Tewantin and Noosa. Total distance from Caloundra Road to this interchange is Template:Convert.Template:Citation needed

Noosa to Gympie

The Template:Convert to the end of the M1 at Kybong includes three interchanges that provide access to the Old Bruce Highway. From Kybong the highway is designated A1. It has numerous parts with lower speed limits, including urban areas, high crash zones and roadwork sites. After Template:Convert from Kybong the Mary Valley Road interchange provides access to the west of the Mary River. The highway then passes through the Gympie urban fringe, with several at grade intersections providing access to various parts of the city. North of Gympie, Template:Convert from the Mary Valley Road interchange, the Wide Bay Highway interchange is reached, providing access to Kilkivan. Total distance from the Cooroy interchange is Template:Convert.Template:Citation needed

Gympie to Maryborough

File:Tiaro Bruce Highway.JPG
Bruce Highway at Tiaro, 2010

The Template:Convert from the Wide Bay Highway interchange to the Maryborough–Biggenden Road interchange at Maryborough passes through Tiaro and the Gympie Road exit to Maryborough before crossing the Mary River.Template:Citation needed

Maryborough to Rockhampton

The highway maintains a speed limit of 100 occasionally slowing down to 60 or 50 while driving through several small towns including Childers, Gin Gin, Miriam Vale and Mount Larcom before reaching Rockhampton.Template:Citation needed

Development of the M1

File:Approaching Tully from the south on the Bruce Highway, the steam rising is from the Tully Sugar Mill, 2016.jpg
Bruce Highway near Tully, 2016

With the completion of Section C of the Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra upgrade project (Traveston to Woondum) in February 2018<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the M1 has now been extended to Kybong, Template:Convert south of Gympie. The Bruce Highway from Kybong to Gympie remains signed as A1. Section D of the project (Woondum to Curra, including a bypass of Gympie) will, when completed in 2024, become the next stage of the M1.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

While the references use Woondum as a designator for sections of the project the new intersection that marks the end of the M1 is wholly within the locality of Kybong, although bordered on two sides by Woondum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Remnants of early roads to the north of Brisbane

Roads to the north of Brisbane in the early days of settlement were constrained by the need to use reliable low level crossings of rivers and creeks well upstream from the coast.Template:Citation needed

South Pine Road runs from Enoggera Road at Alderley through Everton Park to Everton Hills, crossing Kedron Brook.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

Bunya Road runs from South Pine Road at Everton Hills to Eatons Crossing Road at Draper,<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> after crossing the South Pine River at Drapers Crossing (a fordable crossing).Template:Citation needed

Old Northern Road runs from South Pine Road at Everton Park to another South Pine Road at Albany Creek.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> Eatons Crossing Road runs from this road (north of the South Pine River) to Draper.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> This South Pine Road continues north over the South Pine River via Cash's Crossing and thence to Gympie Road at Strathpine.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

Old North Road links this South Pine Road at Brendale to Youngs Crossing Road at Bray Park. Youngs Crossing Road continues to Dayboro Road at Petrie after crossing the North Pine River.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> Further upstream, Whiteside Road<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> (now submerged by Lake Samsonvale) provided a fordable crossing at Quinn's Crossing<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> when water level was too high at Youngs Crossing.Template:Citation needed

Further north, another segment of Old North Road starts at Caboolture River Road in Upper Caboolture, crosses the Caboolture River at Zillmans Crossing<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and proceeds to Wamuran.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

Early roads from the North Pine River crossing to the Caboolture River crossing may have included parts of:Template:Citation needed

  • Narangba Road from Anzac Avenue in Kallangur to Narangba, where it becomes (after a short distance as Main Street) Oakey Flat Road , to Morayfield Road at Morayfield.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>
  • Burpengary Road from Boundary Road at Dakabin to Burpengary, where it becomes Station Road. From Station Road the direct route to Morayfield follows Obrien Road and Lindsay Road.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>
  • Old Gympie Road from Anzac Avenue in Kallangur to Morayfield Road at Burpengary.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>
  • Caboolture River Road from Morayfield Road at Morayfield to Old North Road at Upper Caboolture.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

The Oakey Flat Road route avoids the crossing of Burpengary Creek on Obrien Road at Burpengary. From Oakey Flat Road at Morayfield a route consisting of Williamson Road, Forest Hills Drive, Haywood Road and Moorina Road runs to Caboolture River Road at Upper Caboolture,<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> avoiding the crossing of Sheep Station Creek on Morayfield Road at Morayfield.Template:Citation needed

Early roads from Caboolture (after travelling east from Wamuran) to Landsborough and then to the Bruce Highway at Palmview may have included parts of:Template:Citation needed

Tom Petrie’s roads

Murrumba Homestead Grounds

The following quotations are from the Murrumba Homestead Grounds article.<ref name=qhr1>Template:Cite QHR</ref>

  • "To facilitate his timber operations Tom Petrie marked out several early northern roads, including a track between the Pine River and Bald Hills and a trail from Murrumba to Maroochydore, which later became the Gympie Road. He also blazed a track from North Pine to Humpybong (Redcliffe)."
  • "In 1869 Cobb & Co opened a coach route from Brisbane to Gympie via the route Tom had helped mark out."

Anzac Avenue

Anzac Avenue is part of the history of the Bruce Highway as the highway followed it from Petrie to Rothwell for many years prior to the construction of its present alignment.Template:Citation needed

The following quotation is from the Anzac Avenue article.<ref name="qhr2">Template:Cite QHR</ref>

  • "A road from Bald Hills to Redcliffe was formed by the early 1860s, but by 1864 this was almost impassable. Tom Petrie marked a track from the Hays Inlet crossing and in the early 1870s assisted in surveying the road. Known as the "Brisbane Road" it became the primary way of accessing the Redcliffe Peninsula by road."

Upgrades

One of the most dramatic deviations of the highway was the Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation. Beginning construction in 1972, the new route stretched from Roghan Road at Bald Hills to Deception Bay Road at Burpengary. Construction took place across four stages, the last of which was opened on 10 November 1977.

Due to the nature of wet weather and tropical cyclone prone areas of North Queensland, the highway is prone to frequent flooding in a number of places. Following the catastrophic Queensland floods in 2010–2011 the Australian Government commissioned a feasibility study on flood-proofing the highway.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Numerous stretches of the highway are set to undergo redevelopment, realignment, flood-proofing and extension of dual carriageway sections.<ref name="babh">Template:Cite news</ref> Former Premier Anna Bligh announced the plans while launching the Queensland Infrastructure Plan (Now (A part of) known as Building Our Future, it includes all Transport Infrastructure Projects Nation-wide). The works are expected to total A$2 billion and include 77<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> projects over a period of two decades.<ref name="babh"/> As of December 2020, 23 major projects had been completed under the program including the delivery of 64 bridges, 30 new rest stops, 300 km safer roadsides, and 190 km wide centre line treatments.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

To improve flood immunity of the highway south of Childers, a new and improved road alignment and a higher bridge over the Isis River were completed in September 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Between the Gateway Motorway and Caboolture, the highway has been widened to eight and six lanes since 2001, including the Dohles Rocks Road to Boundary Road section in October 2004, the Boundary Road to Uhlmann Road section in March 2007, and the latest section Uhlmann Road to Bribie Island Road in November 2009. Extension of the six lane section to Steve Irwin Way is proposed to commence in 2020.Template:Citation needed

A new interchange has been built at the notorious intersection of Roys Road at Beerwah. It also connects to the nearby Bells Creek Road, eliminating another dangerous intersection.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Nambour-Bli Bli Road interchange was upgraded in 1998 from a half-diamond to a dumbbell. The old interchange had lasted just 8 years. Later on, the entire Nambour Bypass went through a process of rehabilitation due to the extremely rough surface and dangerous pothole appearances during wet weather. This work was completed in 2009.Template:Citation needed

As of 2020 Sections A, B & C of the joint State and Federal funded Template:Convert Cooroy to Curra upgrade of the highway are open. The final part of the upgrade, Section D, which provides a motorway-standard bypass of Gympie, opened in October 2024.<ref name="Gympie Bypass">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Major upgrades: Bald Hills to Cooroy

Date Details
1963 Old Gympie Road between Kallangur and Burpengary was upgraded so it could carry highway traffic. It was eventually bypassed by the Bald Hills-Burpengary deviation.
late 1965 or early 1966 2 mile section of dual carriageway from Woombye to Nambour completed, including two new bridges over Paynters Creek.
August 1966 Caboolture Bypass Stage 1. Single-carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1966-1967</ref>
1967 Second carriageway between the Redcliffe turnoff at Burpengary and the southern end of the Caboolture Bypass completed.
late 1969 or early 1970 New bridges completed over the railway line at Kulangoor and over the South Maroochy River at Yandina.
August 1970 Caboolture Bypass Stage 2. Single-carriageway completed between Bribie Island Road and Red Road.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1970-1971</ref>
mid 1971 Zillmere Road to Roghan Road duplication, including duplicate bridge over Cabbage Tree Creek.
December 1972 Single-carriageway deviation between Eumundi and Cooroy, including a new bridge over the North Maroochy River. The old alignment is now Eumundi Range Road.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1972-1973</ref>
December 1973 Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 1 (Roghan Road to Strathpine Road)<ref name="ReferenceA">Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1973-1974</ref>
December 1973 Beerwah Bypass. 2.5 km-long deviation completed between Roys Road and Foley Road including a new concrete bridge across Coochin Creek.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
November 1974 6 km-long single-carriageway deviation completed between Yandina and Eumundi including a new concrete bridge over Browns Creek to replace an old timber bridge.<ref name="ReferenceB">Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1974-1975</ref>
December 1974 Glasshouse Mountains Bypass. 1.5 km-long deviation completed between Glasshouse Mountains Sportsground and Kings Road including a new concrete bridge across Coonowrin Creek.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
August 1976 Eumundi Bypass. 2.4 km-long deviation completed between Eumundi-Noosa Road and Eumundi-Kenilworth Road.<ref name="ReferenceC">Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1976-1977</ref>
2 August 1976 Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 2. 12 km-long single-carriageway deviation completed between Strathpine Road and Boundary Road.<ref name="ReferenceC"/>
March 1977 Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 3. Second carriageway completed between Strathpine Road and Boundary Road.<ref name="ReferenceC"/>
10 November 1977 Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 4. Boundary Road to Deception Bay Road section completed.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1977-1978</ref>
9 August 1979 Burpengary Creek to Bribie Island Road Duplication. Second carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road, including interchanges at Station Road, Uhlmann Road, and Bribie Island Road.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1979-1980</ref>
30 June 1983 Bribie Island Road to Beerburrum Creek duplication.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1982-83</ref>
9 December 1985 Beerburrum Creek to Caloundra Road Deviation. Major 26.5 km-long four lane deviation completed between Beerburrum Creek and Caloundra Road.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1985-1986</ref>
September 1987 Caloundra Road to Sippy Creek duplication.
16 November 1989 Tanawha Deviation. Four lane deviation completed between Sippy Creek and Maroochydore Road.Template:Citation needed
23 November 1990 Nambour Bypass. Single-carriageway bypass of Nambour completed between Maroochydore Road and Parklands.Template:Citation needed
December 1992 Dohles Rocks Road half-diamond interchange addedTemplate:Citation needed
20 December 1993 Nambour Bypass Duplication. Second carriageway completed between Kiel Mountain Road overpass and Parklands.
17 May 1994 Cooroy Bypass. Single-carriageway bypass of Cooroy officially opened by Minister for Transport David Hamill.<ref>Queensland Transport Annual Report 1993-1994</ref>
November 1996 Morayfield Interchange. New interchange opened at Buchanans Road, Morayfield, replacing at-grade intersections there and at Old Coach Road.
17 July 1997 Yandina Bypass. Dual-carriageway bypass of Yandina officially opened by Federal Minister for Transport John Sharp.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1996-1997</ref>
23 July 2002 Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road six-laning.Template:Citation needed
19 September 2003 Yandina to Cooroy Duplication. Dual-carriageways completed between Browns Creek and Eumundi Range.Template:Citation needed
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5 November 2009 Uhlmann Road to Bribie Island Road six-laning. Six-lane upgrade completed between Uhlmann and Bribie Island Roads, including upgrades to the Bribie Island Road interchange.Template:Citation needed
8 September 2017 Boundary Road interchange upgrade.Template:Citation needed
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Major upgrades: Cooroy to Rockhampton

Date Details
May 1940 Wallaville – Burnett River BridgeTemplate:Citation needed
1956 Isis River Bridge replacement
December 1967 Ambrose to Raglan DeviationTemplate:Citation needed
1971 Coles Creek Deviation
April 1973 Gunalda BypassTemplate:Citation needed
1974 Gavial Deviation:

New road built from the southern end of Roope Road to Jellicoe Street, bypassing Port Curtis Road.
A new Burnett Highway junction was built as well.Template:Citation needed

April 1975 Calliope River BridgeTemplate:Citation needed
August 1976 Bauple Deviation (9.6 km)
May 1977 Bajool Bypass
April 1979 McKenzie Creek Deviation (3.3 km)
1980 McKenzie Creek to Oaky Creek Deviation (1.8 km)
May 1984 Howard-Torbanlea DeviationTemplate:Citation needed
1985 Curra deviation. 4.6 km of new road built to bypass a narrow railway bridge at Harvey Siding Road.
7 October 1986 Rockhampton Deviation:

New road built from the new Capricorn Highway roundabout to the existing Burnett Highway junction (built in 1974).Template:Citation needed

14 September 1990 Maryborough BypassTemplate:Citation needed
16 November 1991 Glenwood Deviation. Old alignment now Shadbolt Road, Bolderrow Road and Murphys Road.Template:Citation needed
5 July 1999 Wallaville Deviation – Tim Fischer BridgeTemplate:Citation needed
2000 Skyring Creek bridge replacement.<ref>Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1999-2000</ref>
14 February 2001 Gunalda Range Deviation. Old alignment now Bonnick Road and Davey RoadTemplate:Citation needed
August 2011 Isis River Bridge replacement, 1956 bridge replaced.Template:Citation needed
18 December 2012 Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section BTemplate:Citation needed
28 October 2013 Rockhampton – Yeppen NorthTemplate:Citation needed
11 June 2014 Calliope InterchangeTemplate:Citation needed
22 October 2015 Rockhampton – Yeppen SouthTemplate:Citation needed
5 May 2017 Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section ATemplate:Citation needed
9 November 2017 Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section CTemplate:Citation needed
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15 October 2024 Cooroy to Curra Section D (Gympie Bypass) opens.<ref name="Gympie Bypass"/>

Major upgrades: Rockhampton to Townsville

Date Details
10 May 1973 Bowen – Don River Bridge
January 1975 Parkhurst – Ramsey Creek Bridge
23 December 1977 Mackay – Bakers Creek Deviation
12 July 1980 Mackay Deviation – Ron Camm Bridge
16 August 1980 Rockhampton Deviation – Neville Hewitt Bridge
29 October 1982 citation CitationClass=web

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September 1984 Thoopara – 3.4 km deviation and new bridge over O'Connell River
1991 Mackay City Gates – Realignment of Nebo Road at the City Gates with provision of an overpass to allow for future North Coast Railway realignment (railway realignment officially opened in 1993)
July 1993 Barratta – Collinsons Lagoon realignment
December 1993 Barratta – Middle and East Barratta Creek realignments
1994 Thoopara – New deviation south of O'Connell River bridge. Remnants of old highway known now as Magees Road and Thomsetts Road
20 April 1994 Yaamba/Milman Deviation – new alignment with higher-level bridges at Alligator and Plentiful Creeks in response to 1991 Flood
September 1994 Townsville – 1.7km duplication of University Road from Angus Smith Drive to Mark Reid Drive
January 1996 Townsville – Duplication of Nathan Street from Bergin Road to Angus Smith Drive (includes Charles N. Barton Bridge Duplication). Upon project completion, alignment of National Highway 1 officially moved to University Road, Nathan Street and Duckworth Street.
May 1997 Townsville – 3.2km duplication of University Road from Flinders Highway to Mark Reid Drive.
December 1997 Townsville – Duckworth Street duplication.
18 December 1998 Mackay – Ron Camm Bridge duplication
December 2009 Mackay – Boundary Road to Farrellys Lane duplication and intersection upgrade
2012 Mackay – Boundary Road to City Gates intersection upgrades
October 2013 Mackay – Farrellys Road to Temples Lane duplication and intersection upgrades
February 2015 Brandon – Sandy Corner to Collinsons Lagoon realignment for flood mitigation and cane rail overpass
October 2015 Townsville – Vantassel Street to Cluden Drive duplication, rail overpass and intersection upgrades
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Major upgrades: Townsville to Cairns

Date Details
1959 Gordonvale/Aloomba Bypass Stage 1: Swan Creek to Riverstone Road, including Carl Wordsworth Bridge
1961 Gordonvale/Aloomba Bypass Stage 2: Mackey's Creek to Riverstone Road, bypass of Gordonvale
1962 Rollingstone Deviation
1963 Gordonvale/Aloomba Bypass Stage 3: Swan Creek to Leumann Road, bypass of Aloomba
1966 Gordonvale/Aloomba Bypass Stage 4: Leumann Road to Assman Road
28 September 1968 Ingham Deviation – John Row Bridge at Herbert River
December 1968 Bellenden Plains / Murray River Deviation – replaced in 2008 by Tully Alliance Project
1970 Bellenden Ker Deviation: new alignment built to the west of the North Coast Railway line, includes new bridge over Harvey Creek
1971 Cairns – Duplication of Mulgrave Road from Aumuller Street to Draper Street
October 1971 Townsville – Black River Bridge
9 July 1973 Innisfail Deviation – Centenary Bridge
1974 Townsville – Partial realignment of Bruce Highway. Alignment shifted off of Ingham Road
onto Woolcock Street between Charters Towers Road and Kings Road
1976 Townsville – Partial realignment of Bruce Highway. Woolcock street extended to Hugh Street and Dalrymple Road
1976 Cairns – Duplication of Mulgrave Road from McCoombe Street to Aumuller Street
1981 Innisfail – Sir Joseph McAvoy Bridge
1982 Cairns – Clarkes Creek to Gordon Creek duplication
10 November 1984 Rollingstone Creek – High-level bridge
1986 Townsville – Duplication of Woolcock Street from Hugh Street to Sturt Street
1987 Cairns – Sheehy Road to Skeleton Creek duplication
23 April 1987 Cardwell Range Deviation (South)
4 December 1987 Mutarnee – Ollera Creek Bridge and Mutarnee Deviation
1989 Cairns – Gordon Creek to Sheehy Road duplication
17 October 1991 Babinda Bypass Project Stage 1: Lloyd's Corner/Stager Road to Eastwood Street
December 1992 Townsville - High-level bridge over Bohle River
1993 Babinda Bypass Project: Eastwood Street to Nelson Road
1993 Edmonton – Skeleton Creek to Robert Road duplication
September 1993 Townsville - Stony Creek to Bohle River duplication
1994 Babinda Bypass Project Stage 3: Nelson Road to Frenchmans Creek
1995 Townsville - Duplication of Woolcock Street from Sturt Street to Charters Towers Road
1997 Cairns - Duplication of Florence Street from McLeod Street to Draper Street
March 1998 Townsville Deviation – Woolcock Street extension from Duckworth Street to Bohle River.
Alignment of National Highway 1 officially moved from Ingham Road upon project completion
1999 Edmonton Deviation – realignment and four-laning
2003 Cairns – Ray Jones Drive to Sheehy Road six-laning
2004 Cairns – Sheehy Road to Foster Road six-laning
2008 Tully Alliance Project - New deviation from Tully State High School to Corduroy Creek.
Includes new crossing over Tully and Murray Rivers, cane rail overpass replacing a level crossing at Silky Oak.
17 April 2009 Townsville Ring Road Stage 3 – National Highway A1 moved from Nathan and Duckworth Streets
onto Shaw Road, continuing into The Ring Road.
20 April 2009 Higher-level Mulgrave River Bridge – Desmond Trannore Bridge
June 2009 Mount Low Overpass Townsville
1 November 2013 citation CitationClass=web

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May 2014 Cairns Southern Access Upgrade – Stage 1
December 2016 Townsville Ring Road Stage 4 – National Highway A1 officially moved from Shaw Road
August 2017 Cairns Southern Access Upgrade – Stage 2: Foster Road to Robert Road six-laning
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November 2023 Townsville Ring Road Stage 5 – Duplication of the Ring Road from Shaw Road to Riverway Drive. New interchange constructed at Beck Road
December 2023 Cairns Southern Access Upgrade - Stage 3: Petersen Road to Gillies Range Road/Riverstone Road duplication

Projects

List of projects on the Bruce Highway
Project Length (km) Construction dates Value Status Description Distance from
Brisbane (km)
Start End
Cooroy to Federal 13.5 July 2013<ref name=TMR-COO-FED>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

May 2017<ref name=TMR-COO-FED/> $590 million<ref name=TMR-COO-FED/> Complete Section A of Cooroy to Curra. Four lane divided highway, new alignment. 126
Federal to Traveston 12 September 2009<ref name=TMR-FED-TRA>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

December 2012<ref name=TMR-FED-TRA/> $513 million<ref name=TMR-FED-TRA/> Complete Section B of Cooroy to Curra. Four lane divided highway, new alignment. 140
Yeppen South 2.8 27 November 2013<ref name=TMR-YEPS>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2016<ref name=TMR-YEPS/> $296 million<ref name=TMR-YEPS/> Complete New elevated crossing across the Yeppen Floodplain as additional carriageway 628
Yeppen North 1 27 November 2013<ref name=TMR-YEPN>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

$85 million<ref name=TMR-YEPN/> Complete Safety and traffic flow improvements 631
Mackay Ring Road (Stage 1) 11.3 Mid 2017<ref name=TMR-MCY1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Late 2019<ref name=TMR-MCY1/> $560 million<ref name=TMR-MCY1/> In planning Two lane highway, new alignment. 963
Townsville Ring Road (Section 4) 11 Template:N/a Template:N/a citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

In planning 4 lane motorway, new alignment. 1366
Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade (Sheehy Road to Ray Jones Drive) 3.4 2010<ref name=TMR-SHR-RJD>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

April 2014<ref name=TMR-SHR-RJD/> $150 million<ref name=TMR-SHR-RJD/> Complete New interchanges, widening of road 1696
Tiaro Bypass 8 TBA TBA citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

In planning 4 lane motorway, new alignment 229
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

6 March 2021 Late 2022 $22 million Under construction Widen pavement
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

December 2022 $42.39 million Under construction Construct overtaking lanes
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

11 November 2020 Late 2023 $662.5 million Under construction Widen from 4 to 6 lanes
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

26 Late 2020 October 2024 $1 billion Complete 4-lane divided highway
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

12 April 2021 December 2022 $43.448 million Under construction Improve safety, construct overtaking lane and wide centre line treatment
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Late 2022 $26.64 million Under construction Widen pavement and improve safety
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Late 2022 $8.4 million Under construction Improve intersection
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}}</ref>

13 November 2021 $40 million In planning Safety improvements
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

July 2020 $13.8 million Under construction Construct southbound overtaking lane and fauna overpass
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}}</ref>

July 2022 February 2024 $9 million In planning Plan and preserve corridor
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}}</ref>

October 2020 $7.23 million Under construction Intersection upgrade
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1 April 2022 Mid 2023 $23 million Under construction Upgrade flood immunity
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1 June 2022 Mid 2023 $7 million Under construction Upgrade intersection and approaches
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

11 July 2021 Late 2022 $103 million Under construction Flood immunity upgrades
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

16 Early 2022 Early 2023 $9.35 million Under construction Improve safety
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}}</ref>

20 December 2022 $38.82 million Under construction Various locations, widen formation
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}}</ref>

August 2021 December 2023 $44.07 million Under construction Improve safety
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

March 2021 Late 2022 $8.03 million Under construction Improve intersection
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}}</ref>

August 2022 $32.25 million Under construction Improve safety
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}}</ref>

Late 2020 $10 million Completed Planning Project
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}}</ref>

November 2020 $163.3 million Under construction Upgrade
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}}</ref>

$2 million In planning Upgrade Planning
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Mid 2023 $301.25 million Under construction Upgrade interchanges
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}}</ref>

$500,000 Future planning Upgrade planning
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}}</ref>

Early 2021 2024 $105 million Under construction Smart Motorways
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

10.5 Mid 2023 $481 million Under construction Upgrade and duplication
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Early 2024 $225 million In planning Upgrade intersection
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

62 Mid 2024 $2,384.24 million Pre-construction Realignment and upgrade to 4 lanes
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}}</ref>

Mid 2022 $96.9 million Under construction Maintenance and rehabilitation program
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

August 2022 $144.55 million Under construction Construct additional lanes
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}}</ref>

Mid 2020 $2.1 billion In planning Template:Plainlist
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}}</ref>

May 2021 Early 2023 $107.65 million Under construction Intersections Upgrade (Veales Road to Pope Road)
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Late 2021 December 2022 $7.1 million Under construction Pavement widening and strengthening

Northern Australian Beef Roads Upgrade

The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project:

Road train access to Rockhampton (stage 2)

The project for upgrading between Gracemere saleyards and the Rockhampton abattoirs to provide access for Type 1 Road Trains was completed by early 2021 at a total cost of $30 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It involved about Template:Convert of road improvements on four roads:

  • Capricorn Highway – from Saleyards Road at Gracemere to the Bruce Highway roundabout at Rockhampton (Template:Convert).
  • Bruce Highway – from the Capricorn Highway roundabout to the Yaamba Road intersection (Template:Convert).
  • Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road – from the Bruce Highway intersection south-west to the Emu Park Road intersection (Template:Convert.
  • Rockhampton–Emu Park Road – from the Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road intersection to St Christophers Chapel Road at Template:QLDcity (Template:Convert).
File:Forestgardens.png
The Bruce Highway in Cairns southern suburbs at morning peak hour.

Highway towns

File:Bruce Highway passing through Mirriwinni, 2018.jpg
Bruce Highway passing through Mirriwinni, Cairns Region, 2018

Travelling north, the following towns and small cities are found on (or very close to) the Bruce Highway.

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Brisbane to Maryborough

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Maryborough to Rockhampton

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Rockhampton to Mackay

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Mackay to Townsville

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Townsville to Cairns

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Major intersections

M1

To avoid unnecessary length this table does not show any bridges (see River crossings below) Template:AUSinttop Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:Jctbtm

A1

To avoid unnecessary length this table does not show any bridges (see River crossings below) Template:AUSinttop Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:QLDint Template:Jctbtm

Route of former Bruce Highway through Townsville

The former Bruce Highway diverts from the A1 at the Annandale, Douglas, Mount Stuart tripoint (Template:Convert from start – see Major intersections – A1) and rejoins at the Deeragun / Mount Low boundary (Template:Convert from start) It runs north as University Road, crossing the Ross River via the Charles N Barton Bridge and continuing north as Nathan Street. It crosses Ross River Road (State Route 72) and Dalrymple Road, continuing north as Duckworth Street. It then turns west into Woolcock Street, crossing Louisa Creek and the Bohle River before turning north-west to rejoin the A1 after crossing Saunders Creek and Stony Creek. Total distance is Template:Convert, compared to almost Template:Convert on the A1.Template:Citation needed

River crossings

Template:Bruce Highway river crossings This diagram shows the crossings of all named rivers by the Bruce Highway.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Queensland Electric Super Highway

File:Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rockhampton.jpg
Electric vehicle charging station in Rockhampton City

To facilitate the use of electric vehicles the Queensland Government has installed fast chargers in convenient, safe locations close to major highways where there are existing amenities such as cafes, restaurants and shops. This network is collectively described as the Queensland Electric Super Highway. For a limited time charging electric vehicles at these stations will be free. The majority of these are along the Bruce Highway, at the locations listed below (from south to north):<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Cooroy
  • Maryborough
  • Gin Gin
  • Childers
  • Miriam Vale
  • Mt Larcom
  • Rockhampton
  • Marlborough
  • Carmila
  • Mackay
  • Proserpine
  • Bowen
  • Ayr
  • Townsville
  • Cardwell
  • Tully
  • Cairns

Other locations are:

Precise locations

Only three of the charging stations are on the highway. They are at Cardwell, Marlborough and Carmila (Puma Service Stations) The others are some distance from the highway in car parks or other places as listed in the reference.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Note that the reference does not include the precise location of the Townsville charging station.

Distances

The greatest distance between charging stations used to be about 216 km from Townsville to Tully. Other stages greater than 150 km (which may have exceeded the range of some electric vehicles) were:

  • Childers to Miriam Vale (about 155 km)
  • Miriam Vale to Rockhampton (about 170 km)
  • Mackay to Bowen (about 191 km)
  • Bowen to Townsville (about 202 km)

Phase 2

The distance issues described above have been alleviated with phase 2 of the project which added more charging stations, for example at Gin Gin, Mt Larcom, Proserpine and Ayr.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Phase 3

The network has been extended to the west, encompassing locations from the east coast to and between Cummamulla, Cloncurry, Longreach and Mount Isa.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Bruce Highway Advisory Council

In November 2024, the Bruce Highway Advisory Council was re-established.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

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References

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Template:Road infrastructure in Brisbane Template:Road infrastructure in Townsville Template:Road infrastructure in Queensland Template:Bruce Highway towns

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